Where to Belong

CHAPTER FOUR

  Déjà Vu

  Skyler offered again to drive her home. She stuck to her plan and claimed it wasn't worth the hassle for him to take on the weekend traffic. As she walked to the bus stop, she confessed to herself that more time with him sounded really good.

  "Wait, Madison!" His raised voice reached through the racket of the active boulevard.

  She looked over her shoulder at him from her place beside the curb. The bus was coming and only a short distance away. She flinched as its obnoxious horn blared at a car that cut in front of it. Skyler had said something else, but it was lost with the noise of the horn. Madison shook her head, "I'm sorry, what?"

  "Your number," he said as he jogged towards her. "I need your number so I can call about that dinner."

  "Oh yeah," she turned to him and shuffled her bags to write it down.

  Just then the little car sped by and splashed through a wide puddle of muddy slush which sent a wave over the curb and drenched Madison where she stood. She let out a startled yelp at the frozen downpour as it soaked her side and back.

  She looked up, and a shiver raced through her as the cold wetness dripped from her hair and down her chin. Skyler stood a few feet away with a look of surprise and sympathy. Madison gasped and surveyed the damage. Her coat was quickly sopping up the dirty water, and her sweater already felt damp. Glancing back to Skyler, she found him stepping towards her cautiously, fighting back a smirk.

  "Are you all right?"

  She gave a rigid nod and frowned at the bus as it pulled along side the same curb and swung open its squeaky doors. "Perfect," she grumbled to herself.

  Skyler's choked chuckle broke through her frustration. She looked to him and let herself laugh when she wanted to cry for the absolute cold that was taking hold of her. "I'm sorry," he finally offered. "I wish you could have seen it, I mean, it was almost in slow motion. There was nothing for it." He laughed again, then coughed to stop. "Are you sure you're all right?"

  "Cold," she couldn't stop shivering, "just cold."

  He came to her and took the soggy bags as he guided her back from the curb. "That's it, you've convinced me. I'm driving you home."

  "No, no. It's not that long of a ride. I'll be fine." Her teeth chattered despite her best efforts to hold steady.

  "Come on, let's get you cleaned up. No more excuses." He pointed up the block at a tall, glossy building wedged between other gleaming buildings, "I live right over there. We'll have you fixed up in no time. I think the groceries will keep longer than you in this condition."

  It was gorgeous. "You live there?" she gawked. Its architecture stood out boldly against the older styled ones around it. It looked more sleek with a glamorous industrial accent to it.

  "They didn't mind the shorter lease period I needed. That and I like the location," he lightly mused as he helped her out of her dripping coat.

  Madison shook her head at him and let him drape his much larger coat over her shoulders. "Not a bad location at all," she matched his cocky tone. "Are they going to let me in looking like this?"

  "I'll see what I can do," he said easily. With that, Skyler scooped up her bags with one arm and tucked her under the other. He gave her a playful squeeze and led the way to his place.

  It wouldn't have been a long walk if it wasn't for the numbing cold. Madison couldn't ignore it no matter how hard she tried. She snuggled against his side to ward off the chill. It helped, mostly. She stared at her feet for the majority of the way, embarrassed for how messy she had to have looked.

  The main entrance to the building was just as she imagined such a place would have. Rotating doors let them in the plated glass front. A highly polished, dark stained, concrete floor welcomed them. Tall, stainless steel tables lined the brick walls inside with brightly colored flowers and stalks in black vases. Abstract art hung in thick, black frames. Leather furniture was set in clusters about the large lobby.

  Skyler was greeted by the porter as they moved by the front desk. It, too, was made of stainless steel. Its well kept surfaces reflected muffled images of the two as they passed by. The elevator doors, which matched the rest of the shining steel decor, opened as they neared.

  After he pressed the button for his floor and the doors glided closed, Skyler shifted back from Madison and gave her a peculiar look. She studied him right back, then gave a nervous shrug, "What?"

  He shook his head and stared up at the flashing numbers above the door. "I was just wondering about the possibility of you getting typhoid or something from the street muck."

  "Typhoid, really?" she quipped.

  He gave a sideways look and shrugged, "Just wondering. Are you up to date on your vaccinations?"

  "You're not funny," she growled.

  "I wasn't laughing." Skyler shifted again and rocked back on his heels.

  She watched him as he obviously worked at keeping his composure. "You did laugh," she quietly stated, avoiding his look of surprise.

  He let out a snort and bowed his head. "I did, didn't I?" A few more chuckles escaped him before he bit his lip.

  Madison gave him a nudge and laughed out loud, partly at herself. He let go and matched her mirth.

  The elevator announced their arrival with a faint ding and the door slid open. Skyler stepped out and led the way on the sixteenth floor with a continuation of the decor from the lobby. The soft carpet muted their steps as they turned a corner and walked down the hall. Madison tried to quiet the sloshing of her wet socks within her squeaking shoes to no avail.

  The door to his apartment opened with near silence outside the rattling of his keys. He ushered her inside and carried her groceries to his kitchen. The layout of the apartment was open; the kitchen, dining, and living area was one oversized room. The walls were a soft grayish-blue except the kitchen, which had one wall of bold red. It was well lit with the combination of industrial looking track lights and the row of tall windows along the outer wall. It had modern furnishings and was well organized. Several end tables and paintings were not something she would picture Skyler picking. She assumed the establishment's decorator had a hand in the design.

  "The bathroom is the second door on your right," he called from across the apartment.

  Madison carefully tread her way so as to not soggy up his carpet as she went. She took a small leap as she neared the given door, clearing the carpet and landing with a squeak of her shoes on the dark stained concrete flooring of the bathroom.

  It, too, was brightly lit with more tall windows along the far wall. She cringed a bit when she noticed the massive shower was in plain view of the windows with mere frosted glass to hide its user. There was also a jacuzzi size tub which sat right next to the windows, so she figured it could have been worse. Maybe this high up no one could see in.

  She stepped out of her shoes and hung his coat on the back of the door. "I've got a question," she shouted at Skyler as she turned to look out towards the kitchen, cutting off when she found him standing in the doorway. "Sorry," she murmured when he flinched back from her, "but I was thinking, what good is it going to do if I clean up just to put my muddy clothes back on?" He looked as if he didn't follow. She shook her head let out a tired sigh. "I'll just catch that bus. Thanks anyway."

  He narrowed his eyes and studied her for a moment. "No problem, I've got it covered."

  She peered at him and hoped he would explain a little more, but he didn't. Madison glanced around the well kept bathroom before looking back to Skyler, letting her concern show. "Covered as in ..."

  Stepping around her, he went to the wide, black cabinet and pulled out a thick, red towel. "Go ahead and shower. I'll see what I can find for you to wear home." He paced over to the shower and swung open the door and gave a shrug. "I think everything you'll need is already in here, but if it's not, just yell."

  "Sure thing," Madison said shyly as he came back to the doorway. He gave a nod and headed for the kitchen.
She started to shut the door, "Thanks," she chirped, then guided it closed.

  Turning to the shower, she was once again all too aware of the wall of windows. She grumbled to herself and stalked to the outer wall and gazed out. Sixteen stories was higher than she had realized. There were buildings in the vicinity just as tall and then some, but she doubted anyone within would truly get a view of the displayed bathroom. The windows across the street were mirrored, and she convinced herself that the ones she looked out from were as well.

  Yet when Madison shed her street soup soaked clothes, she found herself peeking around the side of shower to study the windows beyond. After a few moments, she held her breath and rushed around to the open shower and jumped into the safety of the frosted glass stall. She let out a sigh of relief and triumphantly swung the door shut.

  One dilemma down and another quickly presented itself. She shivered as she peered at the assortment of brushed nickel knobs and shower heads. Four heads; one large hung from the ceiling, a medium one on an adjustable neck stuck out from the wall just above her head, and two smaller ones set lower on the wall.

  She deliberated for a few breaths then turned the highest knob. The shower head on the ceiling began to rain down wonderfully hot water. She continued to turn the knob and the pressure increased until she settled on a setting. The middle knob was for the temperature, so she discovered as she adjusted it. Out of pure curiosity, she took hold of the third knob and gave it a turn and learned that it activated the three other shower heads. With a startled yelp, she switched them back off.

  Madison stood happily in the steaming shower and reveled in its heat. She already felt worlds better. A silly smile came to her face as she realized how much she was enjoying the simple, modern day convenience.

  Strawberry shampoo and body wash was not something she expected to find in Skyler's shower, but she loved them nonetheless. It wasn't a brand she had heard of. The fancy bottles told her it wasn't a brand she would have picked up with her limited allowance.

  She had lost track of time when a knock came to the bathroom door. Madison instinctively turned her back to the sound and covered herself, not comfortable with the transparency level of the shower's walls.

  "It's just me," came Skyler's raised voice. "My eyes are closed, I promise." The latter part of his words were less muffled as he opened the door. "I'm setting some clothes right here for you, for when you're done."

  "Thank you," she quickly replied, hearing the door latch right after.

  After shutting off the shower, Madison bolted out to retrieve the towel. She dried herself within the shower stall, still reluctant to venture about the revealed room in the buff.

  Cleaned, warmed and dried, she wrapped herself in the towel and stepped out of the shower stall. There by the door was a neatly folded stack of clothes atop the shorter cabinet. She held up each piece and surveyed them. They were her size. With an impressed shrug, she began to dress.

  The black slacks had a comfortably snug fit to them. The green, ribbed sweater was just right as well. There were even some socks set out for her. She turned to the mirror and made a few adjustments, liking how the color of the sweater matched her eyes.

  Madison opened the door and peered about the apartment. Skyler was in the kitchen. He had changed into a fresh shirt. A blue, long sleeved, button down that didn't do much to hide his athletic build. He looked up from whatever he was doing for just a moment without even slowing.

  "All better?"

  She made her way across the room to join him. "Yes, sir. Thanks again. Your girlfriend has good taste in shampoo and clothes."

  "She's not my girlfriend," he muttered as he moved about the kitchen.

  "Well, your friend has good taste then."

  He shook his head, "She's not my friend."

  Madison let out a laugh and studied him. He seemed distracted. He eventually hesitated in his busyness and looked to her. "Um, Chase, my roommate, it's his girlfriend." He shook his head again, "Was his girlfriend. She dumped him three weeks ago and hasn't collected her stuff yet."

  "I can't take her things," she said. "I'll have them back to you Friday."

  "Don't worry about it. I've been threatening to throw it all away if Chase didn't get rid of it, so you're just saving it from the trash."

  She nodded, still not sure about keeping the clothes and secretly plotting to return them. Skyler flashed a smile and went back to his activity. Madison couldn't tell what he was doing. She leaned on the tall counter and gave him a few moments. "You have a roommate? What's he do? Is he here?"

  "Chase is into cartoons, comics. He draws the pictures in comic books. He left yesterday for San Francisco to try out for a new gig with a company there. I never know when he'll be back when he takes trips like that."

  "He's an artist? Illustrating graphic novels?" She had some understanding of the culture thanks to Jeremy.

  Skyler paused and gave a nod. "That sounds like what he calls it."

  She laughed with him for a moment as he went back to work. He had most of her groceries sorted out on the counter top, trying to repack them somewhat.

  "Quick question," he voiced as he made a rushed search of the collected goods. He snatched up a small can and held it out, "Organic cat food?"

  Madison gave an embarrassed nod, "I've never bought it before, honest."

  "You have a cat?"

  She confirmed with another nod.

  "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you killed houseplants in record time," he said with a smirk.

  "Cats are a bit more self preserving than plants."

  "You killed a cactus. Those survive deserts," his tone sounded even more sarcastic.

  "Yes, I know," she playfully tried to defend herself. "I have two houseplants now that are doing great, actually. You'd be proud."

  "Wow, Madison, I'm impressed." Skyler held a serious expression for a few seconds before shaking his head and chuckling under his breath. He went back to arranging the groceries into bags, saving a few quick glances at her as she watched him.

  Not that he was doing a poor job at bagging the groceries, but she felt odd letting him ready her things so Madison helped him complete the task. They talked lightly as they worked and joshed with one another which kept the atmosphere kind and familiar. It didn't take long at all for them to have each item repacked.